Tab index



March 23, 1943. N. J. ERB 2,314,578

TAB INDEX F11ed.$ept. 4,-1942 'INVENTOR NATHAN d. 525

rroRNEY Patented Mar. 23, 1943 TS PTENT PFEQE This invention relates to a tab index for books.

In the past, two methods have been used for opening a book to any desired section. According to one of these methods, a finger recess is cut into the leaves immediately preceding or following the initial leaf of each section of the book and then an internal index tab is secured to this initial page within the recess so formed. Although this method is extensively used in connection with dictionaries, it is costly, for the finger recesses must be cut with expensive dies. This method is therefore not economically available for indexing directories and catalogs of a more or less temporary nature.

The other and less expensive method in use consists of simply securing a single index tab to the initial leaf of each particular section of the book. While this method is far less expensive than the first, it is by no means satisfactory, for when a tab is used to open the book to any particular section, the tab is very liable to be torn from the leaf to which it is attached unless an expensive, high tensile strength paper is used.

In general, the object of this invention is the provision of a pair or a set of pairs of overlying index tabs secured between each section of a book so that by wedging a finger between the overlying tabs of any pair of tabs, the book may be conveniently opened to any desired section without subjecting either the tabs or the leaves to which they are attached to any tension whatsoever.

Another object of this invention is the provision of detachable means for securing the tabs in place so that they may be removed without injury to either the tabs or the leaves to which they are attached.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where those forms of the invention which have been selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the present specification are outlined in full. In said drawing, several forms of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such forms, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in other forms. 7

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book embodying the objects of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail of the upper tab of a pair of coacting tabs.

Figure 4 is a detail of the lower tab of a pair of coacting tabs.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a leaf to which a tab is detachably secured.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an index tab having a base provided with three fingers, and

which is secured to a leaf by a strip of adhesive passing over the outer fingers and under the central finger.

Figure 7 is a vertical section of a modified index tab formed with a rounded outer end.

As shown in these various figures, my invention is embodied in a book I, the subject matter of which is arranged alphabetically in sections. Secured to the upper side of the initial leaf 2 of each section is an indexed lower tab 3, and secured to the lower side of the last leaf 4 of the preceding section is a correspondingly indexed upper tab 5 overlying its coacting lower tab 3. Preferably, the tabs are made of a relatively stiff material such as heavy Celluloid or other plastic material which will retain the shape into which it is bent. By bending the outer protruding end' of the lower tab 3 downwardly as at d, and the protruding end of the upper tab 5 upwardly as at 7, these coacting tabs define an inwardly converging finger recess. A book provided with overlying tabs of this character may therefore be opened to any desired section by simply wedging a finger between the tabs of any pair of tabs.

For the purpose of reinforcing andstiffening the leaves at the point at which the tabs are secured thereto, the bases of the tabs are preferably extended on either side as at 8 so as to form a T. By doing this, any tendency of the leaves to wrinkle when a finger is wedged between any pair of tabs is obviated.

Further to define the finger recesses formed by each pair of tabs, the upper tab of each pair may be of a color distinct from that of the lower tab.

Any conventional method of permanently securing the tabs in place can be used, such as for example applying an adhesive film to the proper side of each tab and then affixing the tab to the desired page by wetting and the application of pressure.

In many instances, however, it may be desired to detachably secure the tabs in place so that they can be removed without injury for use elsewhere. To this end, and as illustrated in Figure 5, I secure the tabs in place by a section 9 of Scotch tape formed on its lower side with a transverse strip or zone I I devoid of adhesive. When it is desired to remove the tab, the Scotch tape is out transversely along the center of zone I l. The two resulting tape sections are skinned back from the tab without disengaging their outer ends from the leaf and then the tab is removed. This having been done, the inner free ends of the tape sections are affixed to the page over a portion of the area previously occupied by the tab.

Another method of constructing the index tabs and securing them in place is shown in Figure 6. According to this method the base l2 of the tab 3 is slotted as at l4 and I5 so as to form three fingers l6, l1, and I8. A strip of adhesive tape I9 is then inserted under the central finger l1 and over the two outer fingers l6 and I8, the outer portions of the tape being stuck to the outer fingers and to the leaf 2|, and the central portion of the tape being stuck to the leaf between the two outer fingers and held in contact therewith by the central finger IT.

The tab ends protruding from the edges of a book should be made as short as possible so that they will lie entirely within the confines of the covers of the book and so that there will be no tendency to use them as a pull. However, when the tabs are made short, it may be found that its curled outer edge will ride over the inclined surface defined by the edges of the leaves of a thick book when the book is in the process of being opened. When this action occurs it is of course due to the fact that when a book is being opened there is a slight sliding of its leaves over each other. tional resistance between the tab ends and the inclined surface formed by the leaf edges and to prevent the tab edges from catching on the leaf edges, I have as shown, in Figure 'I provided a tab 22 formed with a rounded outer end 23 of the tear drop form.

Progressively offset, coacting pairs of indexed, finger-recess-forming tabs of the character above described permit a book to be'conveniently opened to any desired section without any of the disadvantages encountered with the index tabs previously used, and with all of the advantages of the more expensive die-cut finger recesses customarily used only in connection with books of a permanent nature. They can, for example, be effectively applied to catalogs and telephone and city directories, all of which are published annually.

I claim:

1. A book indexed by coacting pairs of over- For the purpose of diminishing the friclying, outwardly diverging tabs forming finger recesses, the lower tab of each pair of tabs being aifixed to the leading page for which it serves as an index, and the upper tab of said pair being affixed to the preceding page.

2. In a book: a lower index tab affixed to a leaf of said book with its outer end protruding beyond the edge of said leaf; and an upper index tab afiixed to an adjacent leaf with its outer end overlying the protruding end of said lower tab, the protruding ends of said tabs being spread relative to each other to define an inwardly converging finger recess external to the leaves of said book.

3. In a book, a plurality of spaced, progressively offset pairs of index tabs secured to the leaves of said book, each pair of tabs comprising: a lower index tab affixed to a leaf of said book with its outer end protruding beyond the edge of said leaf; and an upper index tab secured to an ad jacent leaf with its outer end overlying the protruding end of said lower index tab, the protruding ends of said tabs being bent relative to each other to define an inwardly converging finger re- I cess external to the leaves of said book.

. verging finger recess external to the leaves of said book, said tabs being affixed to said leaves by means of an overlapping section of gummed tape provided with a central transverse zone devoid of adhesive material.

5. In a book: a lower T-shaped index tab affixed to a leaf of said book with its leg protruding beyond the edge of said leaf; and an upper T-shaped index tab aflixed to an adjacent leaf with its leg overlying the leg of said lower tab, the legs of said tabs being spread relative to each other to define an inwardly converging finger recess external to the leaves of said book.

6. A book indexed by coacting pairs of overlying outwardly diverging tabs forming finger recesses, one tab of each pair of tabs being affixed to the leading page for which it serves as an index, and the other tab of said pair being aflixed to the preceding page, the outer edges of said tabs being rounded.

NATHAN J. ERB. 

